Time is tick'n

If you are a young person, you need to read this post:

I've been reading "Don't waste your Life" by John Piper lately, and the main thing to do to not waste your life, is to "...glorify God in your body..." and enjoy doing it.

Many times as young people we ask, "what do you want to do when you grow up?" Or what are you going to do to glorify God?" But I ask you, what are you doing now to glorify God? We are in our "best years" what are we doing now to glorify God, hmm? Are we being servants? Are we sharing the gospel? I also have to ask, what am I doing to glorify God? So instead of putting it off, "oh, when I have a job I'll glorify God," 'when I am married, I'll glorify God." No! We need to do it now! Do something! Go serve some way! Time is tick'n guys!

All Christ,
~Kade

In the Fullest Measure

1 Peter 1:2, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood.  May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure."

As I was memorizing, reading, and studying 1 Peter, I noticed the phrase Peter writes at the end of chapter 1 verse 2: "in the fullest measure."

Grace in itself is full.  Grace is love that stoops.  Grace is God's act of love toward sinners that keeps them from His holy wrath and gives them eternal life.

The peace is peace with God.  Apart from this God-given peace, we are all His enemies.  With this peace, we are adopted as sons.

Not only does Peter pray that these people receive grace and peace, but he adds "in the fullest measure."  This reminds me of that song--"dayanu."  You remember, the one at seder?  "Da da yanu, da da yanu, da da yanu, dayanu dayanu dayanu."  You get the point.

It's Hebrew for "it would have been enough."  Put it this way:  it would have been enough if God had made peace with us so that we would no longer be enemies.  Dayanu.  But, in the fullest measure, God has given us peace by adopting us.

It would've been enough if God had given us grace so that we would not experience His eternal wrath.  Dayanu.  But, He has given us grace in the fullest measure--He has given us eternal life with Him in heaven.

Praise God, who gives us grace and peace--in the fullest measure!

Luke

Note: Sorry it took so long to post.  I just kept procrastinating.

God with Us

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Yesterday, at our youth-group we went through 1Samuel 23. It was about David running from Saul. And God always provided a way for David to escape. God was with him.

Today, in my school book Light and the Glory it told the story of how Washington escaped Howe's army of twenty thousand during the night by small boats, when they surely would have been wiped out. God was with them.

God promises to be with those who are his... so even though we may not see Him, feel Him, or hear Him.. He is there. And when we go through trials we might think; where is God? Well for one, God gave us that trial, two, He's in control, three, he might have giving us that trial to make us come running back to Him, four, He promised He will never leave us. And God doesn't lie, bub.

All Christ,
~Kade

Determination

Today I had my three little sisters on my bunk-bed with me. (Probably not the smartest thing, but I was on the outside, so they were safe)(but I wasn't, they sometimes push me off, even though they're young). Anyways, my littlest sister, Covey (who is 1) had got hold of a small tooth-paste box... and was determined to get it open. She pried and tried, but couldn't get it open. She then threw it on the ground, pressed on it, and it came open! She looked in and found her prize... the tooth-paste bottle.

Another thing that I think of when I think of determination is a race. I've ran a couple of three-mile races, but I don't really rely on my physical condition. I rely on brain power. Also called adrenaline, or determination. And I don't do so bad.

So just as my little sister was determined, and my determination in running, so should we be in life. That's something we really need in our Christian walk, we need to be determined to live for Christ, and excel in Him.

All Christ,
~Kade

This is the most emotional...

Hey guys, this is Kole. Right now..... I'm quite..... overwhelmed. Out of all the posts I have done previously I think this is the most emotional. You must read this. Some of you may know that I went to a wedding yesterday and it was very exciting because we were able to see a lot of our old friends from Texas because the bride was our pastor in Texas's daughter. I saw many people I haven't seen in over nine years! Anyway, we had a great time and on the way back, I was thinking about the wedding and I was like, 'who will I marry? How will I know who's the right one? What if I ask and she says no because she might be older than me, or she likes someone else, or I am to small or...or... whatever!?' I have some time had other experiences like this about what job I'll have or whatever, but I thought of something I hadn't thought of before. You have probably heard this before but it was just what I needed to hear right then. "I don't know what the future holds... but I know who holds the future." God has planned it all to turn out for my Good because he has changed my heart and turned it towered him! And I know that HE IS IN CONTROL! And you know, I don't know where you live... but I know that if he has saved you and you love him he will work everything out for your Good! Let Him be Priased!

Fervently Loving the Brethren,
and ALL for His Son's Glory!

-Kole

P.S. I want to dedicate this post to all of my Texas and Oklahoma friends! Thank you guys so much for your friendship with me. You are all an encouragement to me! Call me anytime!

Why we Forgive

Why do we forgive people? Why don't we hold a grudge?

Well, the main reason for the saved is... "Forgive just as your Father in heaven forgave you." The only way we can really realize God's grace and mercy, is if we realize how much God has forgiven us. And if we really know how much God has forgiven us... why shouldn't we forgive others?

You probably know the parable where the a man had a humongous debt, one that he could never pay... but yet, the king forgave him. However, when the man went away... he choked one of his servants for ten-cents! And that's how we are when we don't forgive others.

So if we really know how much Christ has forgiven us, we can forgive anybody for anything!

All Christ,
~Kade

Prayer Request

Hello readers. I have a prayer request for all of you concerning Steven Curtis Chapman (Contemporary Christian Singer). His youngest daughter, Maria Sue Chapman, was killed by a car yesterday evening at about 5 P.M. Her brother was driving the car and apparently didn't see her. She was rushed to a hospital via helicopter but she did not survive her wounds.

Please pray for this family and especially for her brother as he is probably having a horrible time right now dealing with this.

- Nick